Madawaska is Maine's northernmost town. The region, first home to native Micmac people, was settled in the 1750s by Acadian exiles fleeing British persecution, and by all reports the Acadians maintained good relations with the Micmac tribes. A monument with a large cross marks the landing of the Acadians, while several small stones, in front of more recently planted trees, commemorate some of those who were among the early arrivals.
The town was named for the river whose Micmac name has been interpreted to mean having its outlet among the reeds and word out grassland. Madawaska was incorporated on March 15, 1831 as a huge town, covering millions of acres of Maine and Canadian territory, with the intention of asserting the State's rights to the region. Sovereignty over the region remained in dispute since the American Revolution, placing Madawaska at the forefront of the Aroostook War, settled in 1842 by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.
Madawaska's main street is United States Route 1. The town's economy is dominated by the Fraser Paper Company, whose plant straddles the border with Edmunston, New Brunswick.